Tightrope
by Inari24
Summary: She was not who she once was, and as her soul grew and matured another darker one took notice.She fought him, and she hates that the Kami's decided that she belonged to him. How was she to know her refusal of him was tearing him apart? How was she to know that he was exactly what she never knew she wanted? OOC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

A/N: So, this would be my new story. I want to warn the readers that the majority of the characters will be VERY OOC. Especially the two main ones, I felt I had to change their personalities a bit to create the type of relationship I want between the two. I want something intense and full of emotion, I want them to need each other. I am hoping that I can achieve that. I have never written a story quite like this, so I hope you will be kind and enjoy.

Chapter One

Kagome was tired, exhausted if she was being completely honest. How could she not be when for the past four years all she ever did was fight? This adventure had lost its appeal a long time ago and Kagome had finally reached a point where she just wanted to be done. She wanted to start living her life, she wanted the dreams she had for herself before falling down the well to be real. She wanted to know where she would be if she wasn't 500 years in the past destroying monsters that were supposed to be fairy tales.

The inutachi had all gone through some massive changes as the years passed, none of them were the same people that they once were. Kagome had finally grown up, she really had no choice. It saddened her to know that the person she had become was not who her mother and grandfather had envisioned her to be. They were proud of her of course but she was a little rough around the edges, she could not help it that this endless journey had made her so jaded. The naïve little school girl who had been so enraptured by this fairy tale world was no more, in her place stood a confident and self-aware young woman who understood far more than she did back then. The most painful fact of her life that she had finally accepted was she no longer knew how to function in the world she was born to. She had been molded and conditioned to the Feudal Era, and she always felt so torn. She had people she loved very much that were so separated by time that she knew that one day she would have to choose.

Kagome lifted her head up to the darkening sky and sighed. The small shard hunting group had grown stronger as individuals and as a unit. They had all watched and helped each other become who they were today. Kagome knew that no matter how this journey ended if ever it did, they would each hold a piece of her because at the end of the day they had recreated her. She admonished herself for her fantasies of 'what ifs'. Who knows who she might have been or what she might have done if she hadn't been dragged down that well. All that she knew and honestly all that mattered at this point is who she was, and it was no argument that she was much more than who she MIGHT have been. Acknowledging that very obvious fact though did in no way take away the restless feeling she had been fighting for months. It made her doubt her place in both worlds, because she wanted something from either herself or life in general that left her confused.

She yearned for something that she could not describe; there was a tugging inside of her that was pulling her in a direction away from both of her families. It had become a craving deep in her soul that slowly ate its way to her conscious thoughts. It was nearly primal, and Kagome feared it. She was human, a miko yes, but human none the less. This almost animalistic need for Kami knows what, was certainly not normal.

Disturbed by her thoughts Kagome turned down the hill, silently watching her friends settle down for the night. They all looked just as exhausted as she felt, even her not so human best friend. She tensed when Inuyasha caught her stare and turned towards her, meeting her gaze in the fading light. His golden eyes flickered oddly and Kagome shivered uncomfortably before straightening herself to meet his hard stare, unwilling to back down.

For the past few months Inuyasha had been acting strange and it was putting a strain in their relationship. He had become insanely protective….no not protective, he had become insanely possessive. The problem there was that Kagome refused to be anybody's possession, she was not an object or a prize to be won and she would not be treated as such. Aside from that he was really making the feminist in her roar out in rage. He had developed a few new problems including but not limited to her walking in front of him, eating before him, making any decision at all without his approval and this list went on. Kagome was a lot of things but she was not a doorstep, and she would not give in to his weird tantrums. She would make sure he knew he had no power over her or any of her actions.

She watched as Inuyasha's upper lip curled and even though he was too far away to hear she just knew he was growling at her. Her teeth snapped together and she glared at him refusing to back down. Kagome wanted her best friend back, not this overly irritating dominating half demon. It was really not beneath her to use the subjugation beads on him, and when she caught a glimpse of red flash quickly in his eyes before turning back to gold she lifted her chin and with no hesitation said the word that would bring him and his attitude crashing down.

Kagome began to walk down the hill toward the hanyou sized crater and sneered down at him, "I am tired of playing this stupid game you have going on Inu, you either put a stop to it or you're going to be looking for that pretty little corpse to detect your precious shards."

Ignoring the muttered curses he let out she went to sit beside Sango and Miroku who watched her performance with knowing eyes. Letting out a bone tired sigh Kagome dropped down beside them, her arms stretched out behind her to support her weight. Tilting her head back and to the side she turned to look at them. "Really, what the hell is his problem? Is this some kind of Inuyoukai test of wills or something 'cause he is really starting to piss me off. I am about ready to see how many times I would have to say IT to slam him right into hell."

Miroku tilted his head at the same angle as hers and grinned. He was a very handsome man, one of the most handsome human men she had ever seen. Sango was a very lucky girl Kagome thought as Miroku watched her through violet eyes. "Well Kagome," Miroku began carefully, "I can't say for sure I know what is going on, and I don't want to put in my opinion if I am wrong. I will say though, that if this is a test of wills you my dear miko are winning."

Kagome snorted and straightened her head to look up at the sky. "I have always been a fan of the winning circle, but what the hell is my prize?" From the corner of her eyes she watched the red clad demon push himself up and stalk off deeper into the forest. "Do I really want to win this game guys, cause from my standpoint it doesn't look worth it."

Sango turned to look at her intently and in a quiet yet serious tone said, "Kagome, it is worth it. Believe me my friend you don't want him to have the upper hand in whatever is going on between you two." Kagome could only stare at the demon slayer, knowing that her words of warning were not meant to be taken lightly. It would seem the little pissing contest was more serious that she had thought. It irritated her a bit that both Miroku and Sango intended to keep her in the dark. She hated the dark.

She glared at them and watched as they both dropped their eyes and stared at the orange flames that danced around, creating a backdrop of shadows. Both remained silent until a soft voice decided to put his two cents in. The little red headed kitsune made his way into Kagome's lap before looking up at her with a serious look that surprised her. He may be considered a child in the world of youkai, but she sometimes forgot that he was much older than her and it only took a look into his eyes to remember that. His large green orbs studied her intensely before he spoke. "We can't interfere in this Kagome. You just need to follow your instincts and for a human you have some really good ones. Like Sango said though, you really don't want to let him win this Kagome. You need to fight him, if you don't you will regret it."

Kagome lifted her head to look towards where Inuyasha had disappeared and felt eyes watching her through the thick foliage. A shiver ran down her spine and she sat up straight, never had she felt more like pray than she did right now. Whoever was out there she knew for a fact it wasn't Inuyasha. She raised her chin slightly in an act of defiance, hoping whoever out there would see it for the challenge that it was. The feeling slowly disappeared leaving Kagome wondering what the hell had just happened.

~oOo~

The demon lords head tilted in curiosity as he watched the lovely little miko sneer down at his half breed brother. She had changed, and it unnerved him. She was one of the most beautiful human women he had ever come across, and he found that he wanted to know her and who she had become. This human had somehow captivated him, when not so very long ago he would have killed her without a moment's hesitation or an ounce of regret. When this unhealthy fascination with the girl called Kagome began, he fought it. Then the unthinkable happened.

The beast inside of him was lured in by her beguiling ways, recognizing something inside of her that was not there before. The very beast inside of him that despised all things human, and who had barely begun to accept Rin, wanted this miko. It's obsession with the girl came in a series of unfamiliar emotions. Want. Yearn. Crave. Need. It had become harder as the months passed to stay away from her, and the hanyou had noticed much quicker than Sesshoumaru had expected. In the weeks that followed Inuyasha's discovery of his interest in Kagome, the fool hanyou had managed to push the girl away.

Sesshoumaru knew that was not what Inuyasha intended, the half breed had wanted the miko to submit to him as alpha so that Sesshoumaru would have to seek permission from him to claim the miko. He did not realize that the Daiyoukai would kill him before that happened, not that it was a possibility. Kagome would never allow Inuyasha sole power over her, she was far too strong willed to follow the orders of a mere pup.

Sesshoumaru bent his head as he listened to his beast whisper in the recesses of his mind, '_We are no pup_.' He closed his eyes, very much aware of what his beast wanted. Kagome had made Sesshoumaru want things that long ago he had told himself that he could do without, something his beast had once denied but now anticipated. A pack. The archaic need for submission. Peace. Only Kagome would do, only she was worthy…she was perfect. She would fight them, both he and his beast, and not one to lie to himself he looked forward to her pretty little neck being bared willingly to his sharp incisors. His beast purred at the image and Sesshoumaru felt his fangs elongate, and feeling his self-control began to leak away he opened his eyes willing his beast back into its cage. He turned back towards the girl one more time and though she did not know it, her hypnotic azure eyes met his. Sesshoumaru knew that he could not stay away for very much longer. He wanted her, this human girl who was born to be the enemy of his kind, as his mate. The beast inside of him growled deeply correcting him, '_Mate of our soul.'_

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Hope you enjoyed it, and for those of you who are reading this new revised version I hope you enjoyed it as well.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: This chapter will go a little deeper into the disintegrating relationship of Inuyasha and Kagome…it will also contain attempted rape. It is NOT descriptive though, and honestly I don't think I could write something like that no matter what it would add to a story.

Chapter 2

Kagome felt a flash of irritation as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face making a slow trek towards her chin. She let out a low growl of misery as she wiped it away with a black bandana wanting to cry out in frustration. It was so damn hot Hell would certainly be a reprieve right about now. A small chuckle escaped her lips at the thought of surviving years of demon attacks and multiple possessions just to be taken out by a heat stroke.

Making another pass across her face with the little black bandana she caught sight out of her peripheral vision the now dependable glare Inuyasha always seemed to have for her. Kagome felt herself become impossibly hotter as her blood pressure began to rise in annoyance. The heat of the day and Inuyasha's bad attitude were truly the worst combination and she was in no mood to deal with his ridiculous behavior. She wanted to ignore him but Shippou's words echoed in her mind and she knew she did not have it in her to let him win. She turned to meet his glare head on and narrowed her eyes at him as she stared him down.

Kagome didn't think she could hate Inuyasha, she hoped that she would never come to feel that way towards her friend knowing what he had to deal with in his life. She was beginning to dislike Inuyasha though, and it scared her that she could hardly stand this person that he had become. His domineering attitude had no place in their already frail friendship and he needed to realize that before he tore apart what was left of them.

The once tightly bound duo had not spoken a word to each other since the night Sango and Shippou had told her to fight, and that had been nearly a month ago. In the time from then to now she prayed Inuyasha would get his shit together but instead he became continually worse. His possessiveness had reached a new level that was leaving her scared as well as concerned for the safety of both Miroku and Shippou. If they so much as came within ten feet of her Inuyasha started snapping his teeth and growling uncontrollably. Soon she began to become wary of his touch, it no longer felt like it used to. She could hardly remember when with a single innocent hug she would feel like nobody in the world could hurt her, a time when he made her feel safe. The worst of it was that though he refused to speak to her, he also refused to stop touching her. A hard hand gripping her waist. A tight hold on her wrist. Dangerous claws clutching the back of her neck in a farce of a caress. For every touch Kagome would sit Inuyasha to oblivion, screaming at him for his disrespect. In truth, she couldn't stand his hands on her, when he managed to get close enough her stomach turned with revulsion and fear. His reaction to her denial of his touch was when he was at his angriest and this worried Kagome the most.

Every time she defied him it was like another crack in their relationship due to his need to dominate her. Their bond lay in pieces all across Japan and Kagome couldn't help but mourn it. She only hoped that they could salvage what they once were, but her heart knew that would never happen. The part of her that loved him still wanted so desperately to give him whatever he wanted just so she could have her friend back. She couldn't though. The other part of her and her instincts were screaming at her that to give into him would be much worse. Kagome didn't trust Inuyasha. It killed her to admit it, but though she knew he would die to protect her from the world, how could he protect her from himself.

The others were scared for her, and if not for Inuyasha's superb tracking skills and his ability to pass through the well they would have whisked her away long ago. Shippou, whose youkai would not allow him to interfere, was thoroughly confused. The little kitsune had never seen a demon react like Inuyasha to the situation they found themselves in, and he was sure that it was because Inuyasha was a hanyou that he was acting so volatile towards an issue that should have been done with long ago. Needless to say they never left Kagome alone with the hanyou.

Kagome had learned two days ago that each of her friends had been taking turns keeping watch over her as she slept. She knew something had happened but nobody would tell her what. The looks on their faces when she asked them why spoke volumes though. This she had to say was one of the most disturbing of all Inuyasha's antics, even if she did not know what had occurred. The scenarios that flashed through her mind made her flesh crawl, each flash more disturbing than the one before.

Kagome watched silently as Inuyasha stalked towards her, trying to intimidate her to backing up against the tree behind her. She refused to move. With his tousled white hair plastered to his face from sweat and the glare in his eyes and sneer on his face Kagome knew he was near his breaking point. It was because of this she decided to say the words that had echoed in her mind endlessly ever since Inuyasha's behavior had changed all those months ago. She raised her chin and in a hard and unyielding voice said, "I will not let you control me and I will not submit to you."

His eyes widened and his whole body jerked as he let out a thunderous roar that would have terrified a lesser being. Kagome watched as spit flew from his lips and his eyes began to bleed red. Her own eyes widened in shock as Inuyasha raised his hand and slapped her with so much force she flew to the ground. She heard her friend's screams and listened in horror as they were silenced by Inuyasha who threw each of them hard against the trees of the surrounding forest. She did not know how she managed it but Kagome stood up slowly and turned to face him once again. She did not blink as she met his eyes externally exuding a false calmness but internally set ablaze with fury. No amount of sits could possibly do the damage she wished to inflict on the bastard in front of her. She was done, absolutely finished with his bullshit. Without a thought Kagome balled her right hand into a tight fist, jerked it back and let it fly with precision and with the intent to cause damage. She was so enraged at his treatment of her and her friends that she didn't even feel satisfaction as she watched blood spurt from his nose. She heard the cracking of bones and realized in a second of clarity that not only had she somehow managed to break a half demon's nose, but she had also broke her hand.

The pain she knew would come later after the anger and adrenaline wore off, but for now she watched with cold eyes as Inuyasha dropped to his knees holding onto his nose. Blood was all over his hands and his hair covered his expression, and if she had stayed just a few more seconds to watch him raise his head and see the insanity in his eyes she would never had turned her back on him.

She had not taken more than a few steps towards her unconscious friends before she felt herself being lifted into the air and then pain exploding throughout her body as she was slammed brutally to the ground. She was pressed flat to the earth and when she tried to rise she realized that she was being held down by the body of another. She did not understand what was happening, her mind was trying to catch up but the confusion quickly vanished when she heard the rip of fabric and the painful caresses on her body. Her heart began to break as she began to grasp what her once best friend was trying to do.

Kagome's struggles renewed as she screamed his name, hoping somehow that he would finally hear her and bring him back from wherever he had gone to.

"INUYASHA, NO! STOP! LET ME GO DAMN YOU!" Kagome wanted to sob as her words fell on deaf ears but still she screamed at him and she could not help but hate the desperation she heard in her voice. "NEVER! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS!GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF ME!"

Kagome felt his growl radiate throughout her body and her eyes slammed shut in pain when his nails raked down her hips, shredding her jeans and panties and taking much of her delicate skin with them. Her head shook as she felt him reach forward and graze the side of her still clothed breasts with his claws. She shivered in disgust as she felt his tongue lick the side of her face leaving a thick trail of saliva and she nearly vomited when he thrust his clothed hips against her backside.

Kagome thrashed in a desperate attempt to escape, her fingernails raking deep into the earth and ignoring the pain that shot up her broken hand as she tried to drag herself out from under him. She fought him with all that she had even though she knew she would not get away. She had only two choices of escaping, sitting him would cause her already injured body more harm so purifying him was her best option. As if he read her mind he whispered sadistically in her ear with a voice that made her insides freeze, "I dare you. I'll kill them all, rip them apart and smear their insides all over you."

Kagome bit down on her tongue hard trying desperately not to cry before she whispered a defiant, "Fuck you."

His roar of anger echoed in her ears until he jerked her head back by her hair forcing her to look at him. His face was contorted in his anger and Kagome saw not a single trace of the hanyou she had once loved. This thing that held her down was a monster.

"You WILL submit to me bitch!"

He bared his fangs at the defiance she knew he could see in her eyes. She sneered back at him and spit in his face, watching in satisfaction as it trailed from his eye to his cheek. "Fuck you."

Kagome's heart deadened to him completely as he whispered, "Fuck you? Invitation accepted."

Kagome would never stop fighting, if she died this day she would go out knowing that she never gave up. She tried to heave upwards as she felt him reach down and heard the rustling of fabric. Her body tensed in horror as she felt him position himself at her entrance, her legs began to kick with renewed strength just as a roar pierced the air. It was so agonized and powerful that for a fraction of a second her thoughts were distracted, until suddenly by some miracle the weight of Inuyasha's body was lifted from her own. Without an ounce of hesitation Kagome scrambled up and ran towards her bow. When she turned back she had an arrow poised all ready to fly, but the white hot fury that course through her veins froze in her shock. Before her kneeled a crazed Daiyoukai and Kagome could only watch in awed horror as Sesshoumaru raked his poisonous claws repeatedly over the still body of his hanyou half-brother.

Kagome had only ever seen Sesshoumaru fight and kill with grace, watching him was like watching a ballet. Every move he made was perfect and oddly beautiful to watch. This was different. He was like a wild animal; he was completely lost to his rage. There was blood everywhere and with each pass of Sesshoumaru's claws more splattered the forest around them. Inuyasha soon looked as if he had been put through a shredder and Kagome knew that she had to somehow stop the demon lord. Sesshoumaru's name fell from her lips in a whisper and her heart fluttered like that of a hummingbirds wings when his head jerked towards her. He rose slowly from the still body beneath him, his chest rising and falling in quick rapid breaths as he tried to take control of his anger. His hands closed into tight fists and Kagome lowered her bow and arrow, she was completely fascinated by his struggle. She wondered why he would react so violently on her behalf, and her confusion escalated when his golden eyes that fought the swirling crimson met her own. Nobody ever in all of her life had looked at her like that; she had never even known that such a look could exist.

Kagome watched him; his beautiful face speckled with blood, approach her as if it was she who was the dangerous creature. She took a step back as he lowered to the ground a few feet from her but let out a sigh of relief when he picked up Sango's blanket with his bloody hand and reached out his arm towards her so that she could take it.

It was then that she became conscious to the fact that she was nearly bare as she took the blanket gratefully from his hand and wrapped it around herself in jerky and robotic motions. She did not care that it was stained now with the blood of someone whom she had once adored. She did not care that a very dangerous demon stood inches from her covered in the blood of her best friend who had just tried to rape her.

Kagome trembled, her vision becoming blurry and she proceeded to break down, feeling strong arms catch her and pull her close.

~oOo~

Sesshoumaru smelt her blood before he heard her screams and he ran. The Daiyoukai was not accustomed to being afraid because fear was a weakness a demon of his stature could not afford. The great Inu no Taisho had drilled that into him as a young pup, but he felt fear now. It was fear that drove him to run faster than he had ever run before. It was fear that drove his beast to spring forth without transformation to give him more strength. Today Sesshoumaru learned that sometimes fear was necessary.

Through the trees he saw her. Her body was prone, flat to the ground as that disgusting half breed prepared to steal her innocence from her. Her body was bloody and marked, and her flesh lay beneath Inuyasha's filthy nails. She fought him like a demoness would, but she shouldn't have had to. She should never have had to experience this type of evil. Sesshoumaru became consumed with rage, never before had he felt such fury as he roared out in absolute pain at the state of his mate. The hanyou's life was forfeit, the hanyou's life was his.

Sesshoumaru's body sprung through the air the last few feet and snatched the beast by his hair, tearing the filth from Kagome's body. Inuyasha barely had time to respond before Sesshoumaru began to flay him, completely lost to a blood rage. All Sesshoumaru could see was red, all he wanted to see was the hanyou's blood. It felt like hours as he watched his claws tear the hanyou apart, inserting his poison with every pass. It was his whispered name that tore Sesshoumaru from his task, and it was the look of fear and awe in Kagome's eyes that kept him from further tearing Inuyasha to pieces.

Sesshoumaru slowly stood from his crouched position and hated the fear that flashed in Kagome's beautiful eyes. His fists clenched, he knew he had to regain some semblance of sanity before he approached her. He had not wanted her to see such a side of him, though she had seen him kill before she had never truly seen him loose the control that he prided himself on. He hoped she could see everything he couldn't say in his eyes, but mostly he wanted her to see his regret…for he had waited much too long. He had kept waiting for the hanyou to realize he was beat and that Kagome would never accept him. He had waited and trusted the hanyou to act honorably…he had waited and she was nearly raped. Sesshoumaru had known something was not right about the half breed's behavior but pushing it aside he had ignored his instincts. His ignorance had nearly cost his mate everything. Never again would he allow such a thing to befall her. Her bow and arrow lowered and her head tilted to the side, the expression on her face was a mixture of her confusion and horror of what had almost befallen her.

Her body was stained red with her blood and he knew that she was unaware of her state of undress. The fabric was obviously shredded from her body as a few scraps still held but she needed something to cover her. Sesshoumaru began to make his way over to the trembling girl, making sure to make his movements as non-threatening as possible. He knelt down as slowly as he could and grabbed the blanket bundled beside him, and then raised his hand to her. Her eyes never left his as she reached out for it, her hand shaking slightly as she wrapped herself up tightly. She held it to her as if the blanket would protect her from the world, if she only knew that she was his to protect from now until forever.

Sesshoumaru saw her eyes glisten and her body tremble and reached out to catch her before she hit the ground, and watched helplessly as she broke down in his arms.

* * *

A/N: Well…that was Chapter 2. I hope it didn't offend anybody…Review Please!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters

AN: Sorry guys. I have been pretty sick, going through some medical stuff that leaves me pretty drained and I can barely stay awake most days. Got a new laptop though so I can write in bed, best get well gift EVER. That aside, just wanted to let you know Ch. 1 & 2 have been revised. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3

Kagome could hardly remember the last time she felt so cold. It had started from inside of her and spread throughout her body making her shiver. The arms that held her tightened when her teeth began to chatter and Kagome curled into the little warmth those arms promised. Nothing helped. She felt frozen from the inside out and every time she closed her eyes all she could see was Inuyasha's own empty eyes staring menacingly back at her.

She could see him, the body of her best friend that lay not a few feet from her. His face was turned towards her and though she could barely make out his features his lifeless golden orbs seemed to pierce her, still empty but in a different way. Inuyasha was dead, and Kagome now felt like a monster at the small bit of relief that was buried deep in her heart. The tears fell faster as the thought that had been fighting its way to the surface finally pushed through. Even though he was gone she did not mourn him because before her was just a body, because her Inuyasha had died months ago. Her Inuyasha would have willingly given himself over to death before trying to hurt her, the way that thing almost did. She just didn't understand where her Inuyasha had gone, and why he never asked for help to fight the insanity that had been leaking its way into his mind. Why wouldn't he turn to them…to her…when he should have known that they would have done nearly anything to help him? She had loved him, and before the monster he became took over she knew he had loved her too. It wasn't the kind of love that she wished for with him when she was fifteen; it wasn't the epic romance that lived on for centuries, but it was love nonetheless.

She felt clawed fingertips graze her cheek to force her gaze away from the bloody scene and Kagome didn't fight them. She had seen those clawed hands kill, she had watched as they killed Inuyasha, yet she allowed them to tip her face upwards as they all the while kept her from turning away from the demon who commanded them. Not being able to help herself she leaned into his touch, so desperately needing somebody to hold her up for once.

She slowly raised her eyes to look up at Sesshoumaru, tears clinging to her lashes like small diamonds and those that had fallen leaving two neat lines in the curves of each cheek. Sesshoumaru could not fathom the amount of emotion in her eyes. They were wild and tormented, conveying all that she was unable to say out loud. His little miko was scarred, Inuyasha's betrayal had destroyed her innocent heart and Sesshoumaru would have happily brought the beast back to life just so that he could wreak vengeance upon the vile hanyou once again. As he looked down upon her upturned face he found himself unable to deny the Inu inside of him. Sesshoumaru leaned down until his face was a hairsbreadth away from hers and with tenderness he had never shown another he began to lick away her tears. His tongue caught a salty drop and he trailed it back to her closed eyes, kissing the tears away from her lashes. He knew his actions would cause questions he was not sure he was ready to answer, but he would not have her break apart in his arms without offering her some sort of comfort. Her reaction was one that he had not expected but had certainly hoped for. She raised her face higher into his caress, allowing him to take care of her the only way he knew how and his beast rumbled in satisfaction at her acceptance of them.

Sesshoumaru waited until he felt her heart calm to a steady beat and for her tears to stop before he pulled away from her. He watched her eyelashes flutter as she slowly opened her eyes once again and though pain and sorrow still lingered in their depths she seemed much more composed. His arms encircled her as she leaned in to him, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion and fading shock before she turned slowly back to his half-brothers body.

"I loved him you know."

Sesshoumaru's eyes darted down when she spoke, and he could not help the jealousy that ripped through him like a hot branding iron. He knew that the miko had loved the hanyou, and not so very long ago her feelings for Inuyasha had meant nothing to him…but now he wished that those feelings had never existed. The hanyou, even before he allowed madness to take him, never deserved her love.

"This one remembers your love for him."

His eyes flickered to her mouth as it lifted in a wistful smile, her profile softening as she whispered, "Remember…I remember too when I loved him, to be honest I adored him. We taught one another that love comes in many different forms and together we learned that friendship was our destined form of love."

Sesshoumaru watched her blue eyes flicker and they began to take on a haunted look that he did not like. "He saved me Sesshoumaru, more times than I can even dare to count. He was rude, and a bigger asshole than you could imagine but he very rarely let me down and the one time he is the one that needs to be saved..." Her voice broke and she turned to bury her face in Sesshoumaru's sleeve.

"That is not Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru found that he could not disagree with her, as much as he wanted to. His eyes moved to settle on Inuyasha's lifeless form and sighed, "No that is not Inuyasha."

Kagome's throat began to burn as she fought off the newest round of tears but a small sob escaped despite her efforts. She shook her head into Sesshoumaru's arm and her whispered words came out strangled, "I wish…I wish I could have at least seen my Inuyasha one last time, I just want…I want him to know I would have saved him if I knew…I would have saved him."

Kagome once again became lost in her despair and Sesshoumaru could only grip her tighter as her body shook from the strength of her sobs. He knew that she needed this, he did not know much about humans but it was no secret that any being that held in painful emotions were inclined to harm themselves or others in the future. She needed to release her grief, and through her strangled cries and endless tears she did so. Sesshoumaru waited this time, letting only his arms console her as she mourned and only when her last tear fell and her cries died down did he let out a deep rumble meant to sooth. As her eyes began to droop in exhaustion Sesshoumaru picked her up and carried her to the other end of the field and settled down with her in his lap. She was already asleep by the time he got comfortable and the demon lord was left to his contemplations.

Today was surely a day that would live on forever in the miko's nightmares. She had lost so much, and could have easily lost so much more if he had been any later. The knowledge that none of this would have come to pass had he listened to his inner youkai ate at him. What was worse was that Inuyasha's behavior had begun to become erratic and unstable when he had learned of Sesshoumaru's interest in the futuristic miko. Though he held no brotherly affection for his brother Sesshoumaru could not help but feel a twinge of guilt. Was it Sesshoumaru's fascination with Kagome that destroyed Inuyasha? Sesshoumaru believed so, but he also believed that there were many other factors that led to the end of Inuyasha's sanity.

Inuyoukai were ruled by instincts, very similar to a pack of dogs or wolves but the differences were quite significant. Those instincts that ruled the life of an Inuyoukai would confuse a hanyou who had not been properly taught how to control or follow them. In Inuyasha's case, he had nobody to teach him and Sesshoumaru leaned his head back against the trees trunk and let out a growl of self-reproach. Once again, it was his own doing that Inuyasha did not know how to deal with his instincts because even though he had always despised the hanyou it was Sesshoumaru's job as the oldest of the Inu no Taisho to teach the youngest. Fate had decided to show the Western Lord what came of ignoring ones responsibilities and that by failing Inuyasha he had ultimately failed his own mate. Sesshoumaru held Kagome tighter to him as he came to realize that he needed to fix what he had let be broken, and truly there was only one way to do so.

~oOo~

The sun had kissed the earth hours ago and still Sesshoumaru refused to release the sleeping miko. Kagome had not responded to any other but him, even though her comrades who all had awoken had tried to take her from him. He was beyond pleased when she had awoken for a few seconds just to refuse their comforts because despite his calm facade he was fighting for control every time they approached him. It was only because his intended was safe in his arms that he was able to keep from following his instincts, the ones that screamed at him to kill anything that came between him and Kagome.

As soon as the miko fell asleep again Sesshoumaru looked up, meeting the curious and cautious looks of the rest of Kagome's pack. They were waiting for an explanation but he would not give them one for it was not his place. If Kagome decided that she wanted them to know what had almost happened to her then it would be up to her to tell them. He could see in their eyes though, that they understood that he had saved her. They all had reacted to the sight of Inuyasha's body with sorrow and yet there were traces of relief in each of their scents. Sesshoumaru knew that they all had looked up to Inuyasha and that they had once seen him as more than a leader but as a friend as well. It was clear to see that even though they had loved and now mourned the half breed their loyalty lay with Kagome. It was their obvious devotion to his future mate that overrode the fact that two out of the four were human. They each were powerful individuals in their own right including the growing kitsune and would make worthy additions to his own pack. He wondered though, how they would all react to his decision.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…thank you for saving her, you do not know how much she means to us all, but I must ask you why, "Miroku asked bravely, obviously fearful of the powerful Daiyoukai but more concerned for the wellbeing of his miko friend. "Why would you save a human miko who you barely know and why do you comfort her as if she is more than a passing acquaintance?"

To say that Sesshoumaru was surprised by such bluntness would be a vast understatement, especially since he could smell the fear that all but poured out from the monk's scent. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the human. Why would he ask him such forward questions if he obviously feared him? They had all been silent thus far, never once questioning the current situation or asking how the miko had received her wounds. Sesshoumaru knew it was due to their grief over the death of the hanyou that they had chosen yet not to speak, but obviously the time for silence had passed. Sesshoumaru watched the monk through curious narrowed eyes and after a drawn out silence decided he would answer him.

"You already know why monk."

Miroku's own eyes narrowed and Sesshoumaru wasn't sure whether to admire his courage or to be annoyed by it, especially when the monk responded with, "She is human my lord."

Sesshoumaru growled low, "Yes monk, this is a reality that I am very aware of and one that I long ago came to terms with. It changes nothing though, and I hope you are not fool enough to stand in my way."

Miroku remembered years ago when his dear miko friend had explained to him the meaning of the "twilight zone." Well, he was pretty much convinced that was where he had woken up because only in an alternate universe would Sesshoumaru, supreme human hater of the Feudal Era, stake a claim on Kagome. She was the very best of everything a human is. In fact Kagome's humanity was the most spectacular thing about her and Miroku would be damned if he didn't do all he could to protect her from further harm. If the demon lord wanted her that was fine, but he sure as hell would unleash the wind tunnel on his ass if he had anything less than perfect intentions with Kagome.

"I am not completely useless Sesshoumaru-sama, and if need be I will defend Lady Kagome's honor. She has been too much and I refuse to allow another to cause her more pain. Even if I should die, I promise you that you will follow me."

Sesshoumaru could only stare at the daft monk, and after what seemed like an eternity he let out an amused chuckle. The monk was quite stupid, but rather than see the monk's foolishness as a hindrance he decided to see it as an asset. Once again, their devotion to his miko shown through and Sesshoumaru was impressed. "Worry not monk. Kagome will be treated as if she were the mate of an Inuyoukai, which soon she will be."

As soon as Sesshoumaru finished speaking Kagome whispered in her sleep. She whispered and in her whisper could be heard pain and loss. It brought tears to all her friends' eyes, and caused the demon lord holding her to tense with jealousy, but still his decision stood strong. He just hoped that her love for the hanyou remained as she said it had been, the love of a friend. Kagome whispered once again, a tear forming on the corner of her eye.

"Inuyasha."

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AN: I hope you liked it. I love reviews, just so you know.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!

A/N: I am so sorry for the lack of updates! I had terrible writers block for Tightrope and had to begin another story as inspiration, and it worked. Last chapter was all about Sesshoumaru but this one will focus on Kagome and her grief, and don't be angry with poor Kagome. Greif makes you see things differently and not always clearly, you are not the same person you were before when you lose somebody who was so crucial to your life and growth. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4

The days that followed Inuyasha's death were full of silence and constant tears and Miroku could hardly stand the empty lost look in Kagome's eyes. She spent day and night clutching Tetsusaiga to her chest as if it were Inuyasha himself and it was not healthy. Even after Sesshoumaru had explained to her that Inuyasha's body was safe until his guards retrieved it she never once released her tight hold to the fang.

Sesshoumaru on the other hand was barely holding on to his patience. He was torn between understanding her sorrow and wanting to shake her back into reality. He was not fond of the idea of his mate loving another, despite her claim that her love was that of a friend. She would belong to him one day, and he would accept nothing less than everything she was. He would have her in all of her entirety and would not allow the ghost of his half-brother stand in his way…nor would he allow the future Lady of the West herself to keep him at bay.

So he had decided it was best to take them all to his palace, while Inuyasha would be taken to their father's sanctuary at the far end of the Western lands where very few dared to venture. It was guarded by the shadows that had resided in the dark end of the forest since before Sesshoumaru's birth. The shadows, which is what they were called because nobody truly knew what they were, would see to it that Inuyasha stayed put. His half-brother would not stay dead for very much longer but Sesshoumaru would not allow the hanyou near the newest members of his pack until he was certain that Inuyasha could control himself. He allowed his pack's grief only because should Inuyasha fail, this truly was the last time they would see him. Many would see his ways cold but he would not allow them to hope for the resurrection of a sane hanyou only to once again be forced to see their friend go rabid.

The sun began to dip beneath the mountains casting their shadows in large tableaus and Sesshoumaru found himself once again looking towards his mourning miko, that damnable sword clutched to her breast as if it was anchoring her to this world. It truly was amazing how badly he had once wanted the Tetsusaiga, because at this very moment the sight of it made his teeth grind in his need to snap it in half. She would not even look at him and Sesshoumaru was not at all used to being ignored. Could she not see that the best place for her was by his side?

"You are not Inuyasha but she can see him in you. As long as she feels guilt and sorrow when she looks as you it will be nearly impossible to gain her heart."

The monk's opinion was unwanted but Sesshoumaru knew that it was true. He could see the guilt in her eyes every time she spared him a glance, and though he didn't want to believe the reason why was because of the resemblance between him and his half-brother he knew that he would only be lying to himself. Even in death the hanyou made a mess of his plans. He would just have to play this particular game without rules because it would seem that was the only way he would gain his prize.

~oOo~

Kagome knew that her attachment to Tetsusaiga was not good for her but it was all she had right now. At one point or another in her life she had always known that if ever she fell her best friend would be right there to catch her but now…right now she was free falling and Inuyasha was too far away to save her. She didn't know how to grasp this new reality, this horrible reality where Inuyasha didn't exist. She had cried and she had screamed at whoever was listening to just help her understand why. Why after all he had been through did the world decide that his fight wasn't worth it?

He had told her once, a long time ago that the world would never accept him and would always be against his very existence. She had responded that he was wrong, that the world just couldn't see him like she did. She wished instead she had told him that this cruel world didn't deserve him, it didn't deserve anything he had to give because he was too good for it. It would have been the honest thing to say, because even though she had been young and naïve deep down she had known that he was right. No matter how much he fought for himself and others this unforgiving place would always forsake him.

Now she had to learn to adapt to a place she resented, she had to somehow learn how to live without Inuyasha. For now though she just wanted to pretend that if she held his sword tight enough and wished hard enough he would appear before her with an arrogant grin and bright golden eyes full of life. She wanted to pretend that she didn't _have_ to learn to live without him.

As the dark of dusk fell upon them she heard his voice and tensed.

"We will stop here for the night. Slayer if you would prepare the fire I will find our dinner."

Kagome struggled not to look to her left where he stood but his presence was not one to be ignored. She didn't understand why he had all of a sudden decided to protect them. Why in the hell would he not leave? Every time she looked at his white silver hair and golden eyes all she could see was Inuyasha, and even though she knew Sesshoumaru had saved her from a horrible fate all she saw when she looked at his claws was the reason for Inuyasha's death.

She let out a sigh of relief as he disappeared into the darkness and cursed the part of her that ached the further away he got. She hated that for some reason something inside of her needed him, it confused her and made her guilt escalate. How could she need somebody who she hardly even knew? Especially when all she saw when she looked at him was the face of another.

Kagome sat down with her back up against a large oak and looked up into the high branches, ones that she knew if he was still here Inuyasha would be lounging in right now. A tear escaped her eye and slid down the side of her face and into her hair and she bit her lip to swallow down a sob.

"Kagome I understand more than most what it feels like to lose someone close to you. I know that you need to go through this so that one day you might heal but to get there you need to talk to someone, you need to talk to someone before you start taking your pain out on others."

Kagome jerked her head towards Sango, "What are you talking about Sango? I hope it isn't about Sesshoumaru."

Sango had a look of surprise on her face but carefully masked it before nodding her head, "I won't deny it. I am talking about Sesshoumaru and even though I understand why you feel justified in your attitude towards him we all think that you are being unfair. We all loved Inuyasha but towards the end you and I both know that whoever that was, was not our friend. He would have killed you and judging from the location of your scars he would have done far more than that and I cannot thank Sesshoumaru enough for saving you."

Kagome had tears running down her face as she screamed out, "Inuyasha's dead Sango and I watched Sesshoumaru kill him, so forgive me if I am not throwing myself at his feet showering him with thank yous!"

Sango had tears in her own eyes, her voice hard and full of loss of her own. "What would you have preferred Kagome? Would you have preferred for that demon to succeed in killing you…raping you? Sesshoumaru did what he had to do and afterwards he held you and tended to you. I am not asking you to thank him because Inuyasha himself is thanking his brother enough right now wherever he is."

Kagome could barely see Sango through her tears and was too lost in her emotional turmoil to notice that Sesshoumaru was standing a few feet behind her, and he was not happy. Kagome tensed when she felt him approach her and her breath held when his claws ran through her dark hair, she watched it run through his fingers like silk before he spoke. His front was pressed to her back and he leaned down so that his cheek was pressed against her own and her breath caught at his whispered words. "I make no apologies for my actions. You yourself said to me that the Inuyasha you loved died long before my claws met his flesh so do not put his death in my hands. Any mistakes I have made in regard to my brother will be dealt with by me and have nothing to do with you as of yet. Listen well my lovely little miko, in your world of white and black what I did is considered murder but in the world of youkai I did my brother a favor. I held no affection for the hanyou but I would not have dealt with him as I did without reason and seeing him as I did with you beneath him was more than enough for his death to be warranted."

Kagome stared straight ahead until his arm came around and grasped her chin tightly but not painfully and forced her to look at him. "That being said, I am not Inuyasha. You will see only Sesshoumaru when you look at me. I would think that a person who is so used to being compared to another would be less likely to make that mistake themselves."

Kagome jerked out of Sesshoumaru's hold and turned on him, her eyes narrowed as she attempted to stare him down. "You don't know me so don't you dare make assumptions about something that you know nothing about."

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes hardened, "I know more about you than you think my miko."

Kagome's bottom lip quivered, "I am not your miko…I am not your anything!"

"Oh if you only knew how wrong you are."

Kagome knew one thing for sure, Sesshoumaru had lost his everlasting mind.

~oOo~

Miroku watched the argument between Daiyoukai and Miko with concern. Kagome was in pain and mourning the loss of Inuyasha. He knew that when she could see clearly she would regret all the things she had said and done because Sesshoumaru had done nothing wrong. He had saved her and being a demon he did it in the only way he knew how.

At first glance Miroku would say that the two were completely wrong for one another. They both had horrible tempers and were strong willed. They both were so far apart in personalities that it was nearly inconceivable to see them as a couple and right now Kagome could barely look at Sesshoumaru. On top of that she was a miko and he was very much a demon and if they ever found a way to one another they would still have to deal with the political fallout from both races. A human with a demon was frowned upon but a miko with a demon could cause a war.

If one gave a second glance though, they would see a perfect match. Though they fought, one with holy powers could see their auras doing the opposite. It was amazing to watch the dark red and soft blue dance around one another, caressing and every now again merging before pulling back. Only perfectly matched souls would perform such a dance. Eventually they both would end up together, it would probably kill them both if they tried to deny it, and he hoped Kagome realized this before she hurt them both. He understood her pain, Inuyasha was like a brother to him…but Inuyasha was gone. Kagome was still alive and Miroku was scared that even when she healed she would feel guilty about her feelings for Sesshoumaru if she wasn't already feeling guilt. If they were soul mates then she had no choice especially because her soul mate was a demon.

Kagome was in one hell of a fight for her own heart.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed and reviews are awesome!


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